Doc Martin

Doc Martin is as close as it gets to perfection. Martin Clunes and Dominic Minghella should (and I'm sure do) take intense pride over their creation. The writing is the best in the business, the director Ben Bolt is amazing, and the acting is subtle, natural, hilarious and touching. In addition to Martin Clunes, Caroline Catz has shown herself to be one of the best of her generation. And the scenery and music, of course, are beautiful.

Pleeeeeeaaaaaaaase, please, please Mr. and Mrs. Clunes: Don't sell out to us Yanks. Let the American version of Men Behaving Badly be your guide...Don't do it, ever, under any circumstances!

This is a question as well as a comment. Following the final episode of the Doc Martin series just shown by the Australian Broacasting Commission was the caption "Dedicated to John Coleman". I can find no reference to John Coleman on the Doc Martin website. I am guessing he was one of the writers. Am I right? By the way, I loved the series, but one or two things bothered me. The plots were interesting enough and the most of the characters were beautifully drawn, but to some extent some of them were a bit two-dimensional. For example the professionally super-efficient Doc Martin was so rude to everyone that one could hardly believe that any of his patients would ever come back for more. The policeman was (at least until the final episode) unbelievably inept, if not dim-witted. Sorry but I couldn't accept the snake bite episode, when the Doc displayed more patience with the mad forest ranger than he had with the entire village of (reasonably) sane people. The final episode was by far the most believable and the best. On the credit side I found the casting perfect, the setting idyllic and the photography exquisite. The whole thing was so beautiful it made me wonder why I ever left the dear old place. Is there to be more? Dennis Mitchell.

A prominent London surgeon suddenly begins to suffer from haemophobia, and therefore leaves surgery and goes to the small coastal village to be a general practitioner. But neither he feels good about local mentality and customs, nor villages like his uptightness and arrogance. Martin Clunes is brilliant in the role of a socially handicapped doctor who is clumsily trying fit into, for him, a totally abnormal environment. The series is slow paced and very relaxing, moderately colored by drama, comedy, and romance, and although it is far from the masterpiece of television, it is incredibly addictive. Last night I finished the first season and so far I rate it

7,5/10

I love a good TV series/drama, and Doc Martin is exactly that and more. Every time it comes on, it always makes my night, and is consistently wonderful and engrossing.

Doc Martin has some beautiful production values. The photography is always skillful, but I just love the beautiful, almost picturesque scenery. The music is lovely too, not just the accompanying music in scenes but the main title theme too.

Where Doc Martin also scores is in the writing. Of all the shows on ITV, this for me is one of the most consistent in terms of written quality, always being funny, subtle, honest and touching. The story lines are also very well explored, any issues or problems the characters face are done in a gripping way that doesn't patronise or offend.

The direction is great too, while the pace is never too rushed or too slow and each episode is a perfect length and leaves you satisfied when it ends.

The characters are always engaging, especially the title character, who is really quite lovable once you get to know him. The acting helps to make these characters likable, Caroline Catz and Ian McNiece are always great, but it is Martin Clunes who holds the show together and he is brilliant. I quite liked Clunes even before this show, especially in Goodbye Mr Chips, but after seeing him here I confess I love him even more now.

All in all, just wonderful and I am amazed how consistently strong it is. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Being an ex-pat Brit, I am well aware of how the country has changed in many ways not to my liking, but one thing they still do so well in the UK has not changed, and that is dramas of this genre. I lived in various parts of the English countryside as a kid, and I know that eccentric characters like this really do abound. As for the comment about the local lovelies, you should try the seaside towns of Cardigan Bay in Wales, a goodly number of beauties there, I assure you, it must be the bracing sea air. Regarding another comment, I too went to the church and lit a candle to pray that nobody in Hollywood will even think of making an American version of this very charming drama. Looking forward to the fourth series and also hoping for a happy ending, soppy romantic that I am.